GMC has always been about "Professional Grade" trucks, but the
The Sierra Denali HD marks the first time the luxurious
Beyond the
So far, you may be wondering what the big deal is. Leather and chrome packages don't mean much on work trucks, so you'll be happy to know all the money GMC didn't spend on aesthetic upgrades was directed toward upgrading the Sierra's chassis and powertrain. The result is the same 20,000-pound maximum towing capacity with a fifth-wheel trailer as the Silverado HD, as well as the same 16,000-pound maximum towing capacity with a traditional hitch and the same 6,335-pound maximum payload capacity. Unfortunately for GMC and Chevy fans, that's a little short of the specs for the new Ford F-Series Super Duty, though not by much.
Making it all possible is the latest version of the 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V-8, which has been reworked internally to increase strength and improve efficiency. GM has just released details of the Duramax, which has been rated at 397 horsepower and a monstrous 765 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm -- a best-in-class figure that's an improvement of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft over last year’s engine. In addition, the automaker claims to have reduced the engine's NOx emissions by 63 percent. If you don't need that much twist, there's always the 6.0-liter Vortec gasoline V-8 (360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque), which is mostly unchanged save for a new camshaft that increases torque at low RPM.
Any way you cut it though, the diesel is the star of the show. Internally, the Duramax has seen its oiling system upgraded substantially and the engine can now run on B20 biodiesel without any modification. GMC says the improvements are good for an 11% increase in highway fuel economy and a range of 680 miles thanks to its massive 36-gallon fuel tank. A urea solution injected into the exhaust stream from a 5.3-gallon tank cleans up the emissions and will reportedly last 5,000 miles between fill-ups. A new diesel particulate filter now lasts for 700 miles between regenerations, a full 300 miles longer than the outgoing truck.
Thanks to: Motor Trend
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